Key facts
- Donald Trump urged Republicans to vote in November, asking them to "pretend I'm on the ticket."
- Trump's overall approval rating stood at 33% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted August 28-31.
- Among independents, Trump's approval rating had fallen to 22% from 39%.
President Donald Trump used the Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention to urge voters to "pretend that I'm on the ballot" in the upcoming November elections, framing the midterms as a referendum on his presidency. The strategy aims to galvanize the party's base and replicate his past electoral successes.
However, interviews with attendees revealed unease about this approach. Some Republicans, even strong supporters, questioned whether Trump, whose approval ratings have fallen significantly among independents, is the most effective messenger for competitive races, especially given voter concerns over inflation and the Iran war. Despite these doubts, 10 out of 15 Republicans interviewed believed that centering the campaign around Trump was the party's best strategy, arguing his ability to motivate voters outweighed his broader unpopularity.
Trump's overall approval rating stood at 33% in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, with his approval among independents dropping to 22%. Democrats have welcomed the Republican strategy, viewing it as an opportunity to make the election a referendum on Trump's handling of the economy and foreign policy. Some Republicans, like Christine Gardner, believe that the perceived shift of the Democratic Party to the left will be a greater asset than any potential harm from Trump's prominence. Others, like Rick Williams, argued that Trump is the party's only viable messenger to mobilize core voters.